


I Couldn't Be More In Love

by thefangirlingdead



Series: It's Not Living (If It's Not With You) - Universe [2]
Category: The Umbrella Academy (TV)
Genre: (at least a little bit), Anal Sex, Canonical Character Death, Dirty Talk, Emotional Sex, Fix-It, Flashbacks, Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-08
Updated: 2019-03-08
Packaged: 2019-11-13 23:47:44
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,343
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18041405
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thefangirlingdead/pseuds/thefangirlingdead
Summary: After Klaus finally manages to conjure Dave, he gets to meet the Hargreeves family, among other things. (AKA, a good excuse to write a lot of fluffy, lovey-dovey stuff between Klaus and Dave.)This is an epilogue to "It's Not Living (If It's Not With You)" and picks up immediately where that fic leaves off. You can read this as a standalone, but it'll make more sense if you read the other one first.





	I Couldn't Be More In Love

**Author's Note:**

> Hooooly shit guys. I did not expect to get so carried away with ANY of this. When I first started on "It's Not Living (If It's Not With You)" I was only anticipating it to be about 10k words with no epilogue, and here I am 33k words later and still dying to write more for these boys.
> 
> ANYWAY, here is the epilogue for [It's Not Living (If It's Not With You)](https://archiveofourown.org/works/17931185/chapters/42341987). As mentioned in the summary, you could probably get away with reading this as a standalone, but it'll make MUCH more sense if you read the other fic first, as it literally picks up immediately where the other leaves off. 
> 
> I wanted to include a lot of Dave getting to know Klaus' family, Klaus learning more about his powers, and some sweet moments between Klaus and Dave in here, so I hope you enjoy! 
> 
> (Also, definitely stole this title from another song by The 1975, because I might as well stay consistent, right? Listen to it [HERE.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NT3yzVrp4o8))

Klaus weeps. 

And it doesn’t come out in silent, strong tears. No, Klaus grips onto any piece of Dave that he can reach, and he fucking sobs, shoulders and hands trembling. He hasn’t broken down like this since he got out of Vietnam. Since he lost the love of his life.

Since the last time he saw Dave. 

It isn’t the way that he wanted to greet Dave when he sees him again for the first time in over six months, but he can’t help it. Klaus likes to think of himself as a relatively strong person - he’s been through the fucking Vietnam war, watched the person he loved  _ die _ in front of him, grew up in a toxic and abusive childhood, sees fucking  _ ghosts _ and has been through too many other traumatic situations to count and still managed to get clean despite everything in his body screaming at him to just numb the pain - but  _ this _ … this, Klaus could never prepare himself for. Although he has been trying each and every day to conjure Dave since returning from the past, he was beginning to believe that he’d never see him again.

So when Dave finally appears, and not  _ just _ as a ghost, but fully corporeal, Klaus can’t help the way that he reacts. Within moments, he’s in Dave’s arms, murmuring a soft,  _ “I missed you,” _ and then, Dave is dipping down, pressing a soft kiss to his hair and returning the sentiment, and  _ that’s _ what does it. 

Klaus feels his knees buckle, his chest constrict, and before he knows what’s happening, he’s collapsing in Dave’s arms. As he crumples, Dave catches him, and they come to rest on his bedroom floor - Klaus, a weak, weeping mess of a human and Dave, still strong as ever, holding him up, supporting him with a sturdy arm around his middle and gentle fingers in his hair. 

Dave doesn’t speak, but he doesn’t have to. Instead, he just holds Klaus, gentle and patient as ever, softly petting his hair, soothing fingers rubbing patterns into his skin, and  _ fuck, _ it does make things better, but it makes things worse, too. Klaus wants to scream, he wants to be sick, he wants to die and tell God to go fuck herself, because how  _ dare _ she take this away from him?

But instead, Klaus just weeps. He feels like a child as he cries in Dave’s arms, and he’s not sure how much time passes before he’s able to take deep, trembling breaths without breaking down again. 

“I - I’m sorry,” Klaus rasps as soon as he trusts himself enough to talk. He can’t look at Dave just yet, so instead, he buries his face in his shoulder as he mutters, “I’m sorry I didn’t find you sooner, I'm sorry I kept you waiting, I tried - I -”

_ “Klaus,” _ Dave says, his voice gentle but stern. Klaus can feel the way that his chest vibrates when he speaks and for a second, it’s easy to forget that he  _ isn’t _ alive, that there isn’t a heart beating just beneath Klaus’ hands. “I thought I told you to stop apologizing.”

“I know but -” Klaus starts, then stops himself, realizing the implication of Dave’s words. 

Finally, he pulls away, gazing up at Dave, committing every inch of his face to memory even as he tries to wrap his head around what just happened. “My dream,” he breaths, “You were - I thought -”

“I was there,” Dave says softly, offering Klaus a smile, “I heard you calling for me.”

_ “Fuck,” _ Klaus mutters, shaking his head, “Guess Five was right about something.”

If Dave is unsure of what Klaus means, he doesn’t say anything. Instead, he just reaches down, using his thumb to brush a few stray tears from Klaus’ cheek. “I think we have some catching up to do,” he suggests. 

And at that, Klaus actually snorts out a laugh. “Yeah, understatement of the century,” he mumbles. Then, “I have so much to tell you.”

* * *

 

Klaus doesn’t know where to start, so he settles on the very beginning. He finds himself sitting cross-legged on his bed, mere inches away from Dave as he recounts his childhood to the other man, spilling his guts and telling him  _ everything _ that he has been dying to since they first met. It’s horrifying and ugly and at times, Klaus feels like throwing up, especially when he talks about his father, discovering his powers and the mausoleum, but he pushes through it. Even when Dave insists that he doesn’t have to tell him  _ everything _ if it’s too hard, Klaus  _ does. _ He tells Dave every little thing, because he deserves to  _ know _ , damn it.

Because, if Klaus would have just told him back in 1968, they wouldn’t be where they are now. He doesn’t say that, though.

Instead, he tells Dave about each of his siblings, their powers and their childhood together. He briefly recounts how he became dependent on drugs and alcohol to keep the spirits at bay and dull the nightmares, and he admits that the first time he had been sober for more than just a few days (other than rehab and jail) had been in Vietnam. 

And of course, Klaus tells Dave about how he ended up in his camp that night, how he seemingly appeared out of nowhere and ultimately, decided to stay because of the wonderful man he met along the way. It’s a long story, and by the time Klaus finishes telling it, he can see a bit of light peeking out from behind his curtains, but he can’t bring himself to care. 

“I know it sounds crazy,” Klaus mutters at last, shaking his head, looking down at his hands, “I’m sure  _ I _ sound crazy.”

“You don’t,” Dave insists, a small smile pulling at his lips. “Truth be told, I always knew there was something different about you. Granted, I didn’t expect  _ this _ , but I’m not surprised.”

Klaus chokes out a laugh. “You’re taking this a lot better than I thought you would.”

“You underestimated me,” Dave teases, “And considering the fact that I  _ am _ dead and you’re talking to me right now, it makes all of this a bit easier to swallow.” 

The way that Dave talks, it seems as if he has had quite a bit of time to come to terms with his death and current state of existence. Although, Klaus supposes, fifty years is plenty of time to come to terms with death…

At that thought, Klaus swallows hard, becoming a bit more serious when he says, “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you sooner… That I couldn’t find you sooner, I -”

“Like I said, you have no reason to apologize,” Dave insists. 

Klaus sighs. “I can think of a laundry list of reasons… This all could have been avoided if I would have just told you -”

_ “Hey,” _ Dave interrupts, voice gentle as ever, and how the fuck is he so calm right now? “None of  _ this _ . Don’t do this.” 

Klaus frowns. “Do what?”

“Blame yourself,” Dave offers, “This isn’t your fault.”

“But -”

“But nothing,” Dave counters before Klaus can get a word out, “I’m here because you pushed past those thoughts,  _ remember?” _

And he isn’t wrong. Klaus knows that the only reason that Dave is sitting in front of him right now is because he managed to push past his guilt and grief in favor of focusing on the  _ good _ . And there was a  _ lot _ of good when it came to Dave. 

He nods. “Right.”

In return, Dave clears his throat. “So, tell me more about your family,” he says in an attempt to steer the conversation away from Klaus’ guilt. 

Klaus huffs a soft laugh. “What do you want to know about them?”

“How have things been… You know,  _ since _ the end of the world?” Dave asks. 

And  _ god _ , it sounds so ridiculous, but it’s a good question. So much has changed over the past six months. Vanya has gained a bit more control of her power (baby steps) and Allison and Luther have been with her every step of the way. Luther has had a hard time relinquishing control and letting others call the shots, but he’s  _ trying _ , and that’s more than he has done before. Hell, he’s even slowly starting to find his own identity separate from dad. Diego, while still closed off at times, has been trying to open up a bit more, and has actually found himself in Klaus’ room on multiple occasions, spilling his guts on particularly rough nights. Five is still an enigma at times, but even he has become warmer to his siblings, particularly Klaus since the incident with the briefcase.

And  _ Klaus _ … Well, a  _ lot  _ has changed for Klaus. Where to begin?

“They’re all still a bunch of emotionally stunted adults trying to work through a fuckload of childhood trauma,” Klaus offers, “But they’re figuring it out… we all are.”

“Are they here, now?” Dave asks, a small smile pulling on his lips. 

“As far as I know,” Klaus replies with a shrug. 

He doesn’t expect the next question, but it certainly makes his heart leap. 

“Can I meet them?” 

Klaus opens his mouth, then closes it. This had been such a difficult conversation to have with Ben, when he first came to Klaus all those years ago. Ben had begged him to let him talk to their siblings, but Klaus obviously wasn’t powerful enough back then to conjure his physical form. Hell, he didn’t even know it was possible.

“Eventually, but… I don’t know if you can right now. They can’t - I’m the only person who can see you,” Klaus explains, voice careful. “I’ve only been able to keep Ben corporeal for about an hour so far. I’m still learning…”

Considering the fact that they’ve been up talking for  _ hours _ now, Klaus is unsure of when he’ll be able to conjure Dave’s physical form again. Doing it for the first time was one thing, with such a powerful surge of emotions, but again? He’s not sure. 

“I see…” Dave replies, voice quiet, and is that  _ disappointment _ in his tone? Was Dave really that excited to meet his family? The thought makes Klaus feel like a giddy teenager. 

“I’m working on changing that, though,” he promises, “Ben and I have been training, and I’m getting stronger every day. We’ll figure it out.” 

Dave offers Klaus a smile in response, one that touches his eyes and makes Klaus’ heart skip a beat. “Let me know if there’s anything I can do to help.”

Klaus shakes his head, smile coming to rest on his own face as well. “Just you being here is enough,” he replies. It’s cheesy and cliche but it’s true. With Dave here now, Klaus feels like he  _ finally _ has a win under his belt. Obviously, conjuring Ben’s physical form was a victory as well, but he still felt as if he was just swimming upstream when it came to Dave… until now. 

_ Now _ , Klaus knows that he’s capable of anything, and with Dave by his side, it’ll be even easier to keep fighting. 

For a moment, Klaus’ thoughts run away with him, so it surprises him when Dave speaks again, bringing him right back down to earth when he asks, “Klaus… Can I kiss you?”

And it’s so…  _ innocent _ , because  _ of course _ he can, they’ve done it a million times, but then it hits Klaus, what he really means. 

Klaus offers Dave a sympathetic smile, and it’s this sad, pathetic fucking thing. “I can’t - you won’t be able to touch me,” he explains, “I don’t think I’m strong enough to keep you in your physical form for this long. I wish, but -”

_ But _ , as Klaus speaks, Dave reaches out, as if to test the waters, and just when Klaus thinks that Dave’s palm will travel straight through his face, giving him that typical full-body shiver, he feels skin on skin.

_ What? _

Similar to that night in the bar, over fifty years ago (or about twelve months ago, depending on how you look at it), Dave’s hand presses gently against Klaus’ face, fingers tickling the hairs on the nape of his neck, thumb brushing his cheek. And for a moment, Klaus is transported to a night back in 1968, when he first started falling for the man sitting in front of him now. 

Klaus’ eyes go wide, his breath catching in his throat. “I -”

“Has this ever happened before?” Dave asks. He sounds breathless, surprised too. 

And then, Klaus is laughing, giddy because,  _ “No, _ no it fucking hasn’t. At least, not for  _ this  _ long.”

Then, Klaus is moving, reaching out for any form of contact. One hand comes to rest on Dave’s knee, the other wrapping around Dave’s wrist, and he has to bite back tears again, because  _ of course,  _ Dave was the missing piece. Right now, Klaus feels more in control of his powers than ever before, and it’s all thanks to the remarkable, caring,  _ beautiful _ man in front of him. Alive or dead, it doesn’t matter. 

Without another word, Klaus is using his leverage to pull Dave forward for a seraring, passionate kiss. And _ fuck _ , he missed this. He missed the feeling of Dave’s lips against his own, of his gentle touch, his warmth, his scent.  _ Fuck,  _ he missed Dave. 

Dave reaches out with his free hand as they kiss, fingers coming up to anchor in Klaus’ hair, and Klaus focuses on the touch of his hand in his curls, the spike of pleasure when blunt nails scrape his scalp. He savors the parting of soft lips, the sigh that Dave lets out when he deepens the kiss, the pressure of the hand on his cheek. He lets the kiss consume him, because he doesn’t want it to end, doesn’t want to break concentration and lose Dave’s physical form, and because he wants to stay suspended in this moment in time for as long as humanly possible. 

When they part, Klaus nudges forward, pressing his face into the crook of Dave’s neck and  _ fuck _ , he’s crying again. He can’t help it

Dave is quick to reach out, wiping the tears from his face again. “It’s okay,” he murmurs, even though there’s a slight tremble to his voice as well, “I’ve got you.”

_ “Fuck,” _ Klaus mutters, voice thick with emotion, “I’ve missed you.”

He has lost count of how many times he’s said that in the past few hours, but he doesn’t care. Dave is quick to return the sentiment, pressing another kiss to his hair. “I missed you, too.” 

Klaus is unsure of how long they remain like that, tangled up in one another, murmuring sweet words to each other, but eventually, they’re interrupted by a soft knock on Klaus’ bedroom door. 

For a moment, Klaus thinks he’s just hearing things, but then, the knock comes again, this time a bit louder and Diego calls from the other side, “Klaus, you up?”

Klaus pulls back a few inches to glance up at Dave who simply smiles at him in response. 

“Yeah,” he calls back, voice raspy. 

Then, the door is cracking open and Diego is speaking again, because he even realize what he’s walking in on, “Get decent, Vanya’s making waffles and I figured you’d -”

His words cut short, however, when he sees the man sitting opposite of his brother on the bed. 

Klaus grins, because he  _ knows _ , judging by the way that Diego’s mouth drops open, his eyes trained on the space in front of him, that he can  _ definitely  _ see Dave. 

“Can you -” Klaus starts, but he doesn’t even get a chance to finish. 

“Is this -”

“Yeah,” Klaus says, unable to hold back an excited laugh, “You can see him, right?”

“Y - yeah,” Diego stammers, “Yeah, is he - is this -”

“Diego,” Klaus says, proud, “This is  _ Dave.” _

And  _ finally, _ Diego finally seems to gather his senses, letting out a low whistle. “Holy shit,” he mutters, “You actually did it, man.”

“Took long enough, huh?” Klaus asks, grinning. 

“Yeah,” Diego breathes. Then, without prompting, he’s stepping forward, arm outstretched to shake Dave’s hand. Dave offers Diego a smile in return, reaching out to return the favor, but just as he opens his mouth to speak, just as they’re about to touch -

_ He disappears. _ Or at least, he disappears to Diego. He’s still very much there to Klaus. 

Klaus doesn’t even notice it until Diego frowns, glancing in his direction. “Klaus, he’s gone.”

“Son of a bitch!” Klaus exclaims, slamming his fists down on the bed. The reaction earns a laugh from Diego and a sympathetic smile from Dave. 

Klaus sighs, defeated. He knew he could only keep it up for so long, but it’s still disappointing to finally lose Dave’s physical form. It means that they won’t be able to touch again for  _ who knows how long.  _

“He’s still here, you just…” Klaus waves his hand, “You know.”

Diego nods, understanding. He has come to learn quite a bit about Klaus’ powers in recent weeks, and it has become significantly less awkward to speak to the empty space at his side now. “I’ve heard a lot about you, Dave,” Diego says, seemingly to thin air, “I don’t know how you dealt with my bonehead brother for so long, but he seems to really like you.”

Dave’s smile widens at Diego’s words before he spares Klaus a glance. “You’ve told them about me?” he asks. 

“Of course I have,” Klaus replies, “They haven’t been able to get me to shut up about you.”

“He’s right,” Diego agrees, inferring what Klaus is talking to Dave about, even though he can only hear his side of the conversation. Then, softer, opening up just a bit more, Diego says, “I’m glad you’re here, Dave. I’m sure the others will be, too.”

And Diego is  _ certainly _ right about that. Although nobody can see him, Dave follows Klaus downstairs for breakfast a few minutes later, after a brief pep-talk from Klaus, and it’s refreshing when Klaus tells his siblings that his ghost-boyfriend is here, and they  _ all _ believe him. There’s this memory, still somewhat fresh in his mind, of telling his family that Ben had helped him, that Ben was  _ there _ and none of them believing him, but he pushes that thought away, because  _ so much _ has changed since then. They’ve  _ all _ changed since then.

So of course, the conversation at breakfast is focused heavily on Klaus and Dave and most importantly, Klaus’ training. Five stares at the empty space to Klaus’ right for the majority of breakfast, as if just looking will make Dave appear, and once the table has cleared and the rest of their siblings have scattered throughout the house to work on their  _ own _ training, Five lingers.

“I’m sure you have a lot of catching up to do,” Five says tentatively, still sitting at the table with his hands wrapped around a coffee cup as Klaus rinses his dishes in the sink, “But if you’re feeling up for it, I’d like to help you explore this new power, later.”

Klaus can’t hide the smile that finds its way onto his face, even if Five can’t see it with his back turned to him. It’s still so fresh, so new, the support system that his siblings supply him with now. Even little things like  _ this _ mean a lot to Klaus. 

“We’ve actually already done quite a bit of catching up,” Klaus replies, glancing at Dave when he speaks, “So yeah, that sounds good.”

So that’s how Klaus finds himself seated in the den just a few hours later, shoes kicked to the side, trying to concentrate on pulling Dave back into the physical world. 

“So what finally triggered it?” Five asks later, standing in the middle of the den while Klaus takes a seat on the sofa, legs crossed, body relaxed. “You’ve been at this for so long, so what changed?”

Klaus glances up at Dave. He stands just a few feet away, near the couch, watching Klaus’ exchange with Five. Like the rest of them when Five first returned, he seems to be studying the teenager, trying to figure out how a fifty-eight year old man is trapped inside that little body. 

“You know how we talked about using emotion as an anchor?” Klaus asks at last, training his eyes back on Five, who nods in response. “Well, turns out, I was focusing on the wrong emotion.” 

“Interesting,” Five mutters. “I didn’t think of that.”

“I didn’t either,” Klaus replies with a shrug, “Came to me in a dream.” 

Dave smiles at Klaus’ word choice, even if the true meaning of it is lost on Five. Instead, Five is all business, clapping his hands together and proclaiming, “Alright then. Focus on that - let’s see if we can bring him back again.” 

Klaus frowns at that though, because although it seemed relatively easy to keep Dave in his physical form earlier, he also did it for hours. What if he isn’t able to again so soon? Are his powers like a gas tank? Is he going to run out of fuel eventually?

“I can try…” Klaus starts, “But I haven’t been able to do it since this morning.”

“Let’s give it a shot,” Five suggests with a shrug, “This is new to both of us, so we’ll just push it and see what we can do.”

Klaus spares Dave a quick glance and Dave shoots him a reassuring look in response.  _ Right _ . What does he have to lose?

“So…” Five instructs once Klaus is comfortable on the sofa, “Focus on those emotions from earlier, then. Drown out everything else… Your doubts, your concerns… Those aren’t important.”

_ Focus on touching Dave _ , Klaus tells himself.  _ Focus on his gentle hands, the calloused skin of his fingertips. Focus on the way that he held you this morning. How he’s held you every time you’ve had a moment alone.  _

Klaus has only been sitting there, breathing deeply and thinking about Dave for about two minutes when he hears his brother draw a sharp intake of breath - the closest thing to a gasp that he’ll get out of him. And when he opens his eyes again, his gaze follows Five’s straight to Dave’s form, just a few feet off from the sofa. Judging by the surprised expression on Five’s face, they were successful. 

“Can you -” Klaus starts and Five is nodding before he can even get the words out. 

“Yeah, I can,” he confirms, taking a few steps forward to examine Dave. “Klaus, this is incredible. How long did you say you were able to keep him corporeal this morning?”

Klaus shrugs. “I dunno, maybe a few hours.”

“Remarkable…” Five breaths, studying Dave as if he’s a test subject. 

Then, Five surprises Klaus, glancing up at Dave before offering him a real, genuine smile - not one of those snarky little sarcastic smirks that make Klaus forget that he’s not actually a teenager. He reaches his hand out to shake Dave’s and this time, Dave doesn’t disappear. He meets Five halfway for a sturdy handshake as Five says, “You must mean a lot to my brother, if he can do this for you. It’s nice to meet you, Dave.”

Unlike that morning, though, Klaus is only able to keep Dave in his physical form for about half an hour. He chalks it up to exhaustion and distraction, while Five insists that it’s like working out - these are muscles that he has never flexed before, and it’s going to take some time before he’s strong enough to keep it up consistently. Either way, Klaus can’t be  _ too _ disappointed, because unlike his siblings, he can still see and talk to Dave even when he’s  _ not _ tangible. 

So that’s how, later that evening, Klaus finds himself holed up in his bedroom with Dave once more, showing him some of his old sketch books and photos of the family when they were just kids (Dave’s idea). It feels so…  _ normal _ , sitting side by side with his boyfriend, laughing over embarrassing photos and reminiscing on some of his better childhood memories, although it’s anything  _ but _ . With Dave constantly around, it’s easy for Klaus to forget that he’s dead, that he’s just a ghost and there are times that Klaus won’t be able to touch or kiss him, but he’s quickly reminded when he reaches out to touch his arm and passes right through him.

Those little moments are heartbreaking, to say the least, but the reassuring smile the Dave gives him in response is more than enough to pick him up again. At least Diego was right about one thing… at least when Klaus loses someone, he  _ can _ talk to them whenever he wants. 

Now, sitting next to Dave in his childhood bedroom, Klaus makes a mental note to do the same for Diego soon. If he can get Dave back, then he’s sure he can conjure Patch as well. It’ll just take some time. 

It’s later that evening, while Klaus and Dave sit together on his bed, looking through those old photos and sketchbooks that Allison and Luther eventually appear in the doorway. Klaus doesn’t notice them at first, too engrossed in his conversation with Dave, until Allison raps gently on the doorframe, shooting him a smile when he glances up in her direction. 

In an instant, Klaus is reminded of a night not too long ago that he sat on this very bed with Allison, discussing his fears and hopes and his frustration and heartbreak because he had been unable to conjure Dave. So much has changed since then. 

“Is Dave here?” Apparently Allison hasn’t forgotten their conversation, either, because she scans the room upon stepping inside, as if searching for him. 

Klaus smiles. “He is.”

Eventually, Allison and Luther’s eyes come to rest on the empty space to Klaus’ right, reading his body language, the way he has the sketchbook positioned on his lap. Dave, although they cant see him, spares Klaus a quick glance before looking up at his siblings. 

Allison clears her throat. “Do you think you could…”

“I’m not sure,” Klaus replies, inferring what she means, “I’ve already done it a few times today, and the last was a little difficult.”

“Ah,” Allison breaths, as if she understands it in the same way that Five does. “No worries.”

And at that, Klaus smirks, his eyes lighting up. “You know, it almost seems like you’re more excited to see  _ Dave _ than me,” he teases, “What am I, chopped liver?”

Allison laughs. Even Luther smiles at her side. “Is it a crime to want to meet the man that my brother wouldn’t shut up about?”

Klaus feels himself flush at the comment, knowing full well that Dave will tease him about it later. “I suppose not,” he shoots back, “But he’s all mine right now. I’ll let you know when I’m ready to share.”

* * *

 

The next morning, Klaus feels refreshed when he wakes, making it much easier to pull Dave back into the physical world. It only takes a few minutes of quiet meditation before he feels the bed dip with Dave’s weight, and Klaus is quick to react, his eyes flying open, hands reaching out to pull Dave forward into a quick, sloppy, unexpected kiss. Dave gasps against him at the sudden movement, but quickly reacts, one hand coming up to card through Klaus’ hair, the other resting on his arm. 

When they part, both men are breathless, and Dave lets out a soft chuckle. “Good to see you too, Klaus.”

“Hah,” Klaus huffs, “Sorry. Just missed that is all. Sucks when I can’t touch you.”

“I know.” Dave hums in response, fingers brushing Klaus’ cheek, then his chin, his bottom lip. Klaus tilts his head up in response, relaxing under the soft touch before Dave leans in once more, pressing another chaste kiss to his lips. 

When they part again, Klaus shoots him a sly smile. “As much as I’d love to just make out all morning, I think breakfast is ready downstairs,” he says regretfully, “Care to join me?” 

Dave raises his eyebrows, lips parting for a moment while he tries to find the right words to say. “Are you sure? I mean - if you - I don’t -”

“I don’t know if you were getting mixed signals yesterday, but my family is kind of dying to meet you,” Klaus teases. He knows why Dave is hesitant - the last time they were together, they had to hide these intimate little moments from everyone else. As much as he would have loved to, Dave wouldn’t dare introduce Klaus to his family as his boyfriend, much less bring him to breakfast. But a lot has changed since then, and Klaus is eager to show Dave, so once he agrees, Klaus takes his hand, lacing their fingers together, and leads him downstairs. 

And, as Klaus had insisted, his family  _ is _ eager to meet him. 

Allison is the first to greet Dave, quickly crossing the kitchen in order to give him a warm, friendly hug. Klaus doesn’t quite catch what she whispers in his ear, but judging by the blush on Dave’s cheeks, the smile on his face and his all too polite, _“Of course, miss,”_ he’s sure it was something too sweet. Luther is a little more reserved - he always has been with any men that Klaus has brought around - but even he seems excited to see Dave, even if just for the fact that he’s a ghost, and Vanya, while still a bit timid around new people, tells Dave how glad she is that he’s here. Although Diego and Five have already met him - albeit very briefly, especially in Diego’s case - they’re still quick to greet Dave with a warm welcome as well. 

The only one missing is Ben, but regretfully, Klaus isn’t quite strong enough yet to bring them both back into the physical world at the same time. Instead, Ben sits quietly on the far side of the room, beaming at his siblings’ interactions with Dave. 

After breakfast and long after Dave has disappeared to everyone but Klaus again, Dave does eventually get to know Ben a little bit better as well. Klaus tries not to eavesdrop on their conversation, but he does catch Dave telling Ben,  _ “I’ve heard so much about you… Klaus couldn’t stop talking about you when he was in Vietnam.” _

* * *

 

“Your family is very… accepting,” Dave says later, sitting next to Klaus on the sofa in the den as he watches Diego and Luther spar. It’s just like when they were kids - Diego goes all-out, and Luther tries to hold back in order to level the playing field, but when Number Two gets a little too ambitious, he can’t help but use the full force of his powers. 

Klaus knew that this conversation was coming. He hasn’t really had the chance to talk to Dave much about just what the future is like, so naturally, Dave is surprised when none of Klaus’ siblings balk at the word  _ boyfriend _ or the way that Klaus had held his hand at breakfast. 

“Yeah, well, they’ve known that I was into guys since we were thirteen,” Klaus explains, sparing Dave a quick glance, “They’ve had plenty of time to come to terms with it.” 

“You mean… you  _ told _ them? When you were just a kid?” Dave asks, surprised. 

_ “Oh,” _ Klaus breaths, “Oh, yeah. That’s something else… It was definitely more widely accepted when I was younger, compared to the sixties. Even more so now.”

Dave smiles, “Figures why you didn’t seem to care who saw us together.” 

He’s right. While Dave was always careful to find somewhere secluded to be able to kiss Klaus, to hold him and whisper sweet little words into his ear, Klaus was certainly more… open about it. He wasn’t afraid to steal a quick kiss in the tent, or let his arm sneak around Dave’s middle whenever they were walking somewhere, sometimes casually throwing it over his shoulders if he wanted to hold him a bit closer.

“Yeah, fuck ‘em,” Klaus mutters with a shrug, “Shouldn’t matter to anyone else who I want to fuck or kiss or love, ya’know?”

Dave doesn’t respond right away, but instead, fixes Klaus with a warm, open look. Just when Klaus opens his mouth to ask what he’s thinking, he murmurs, soft, “I love you, Klaus.” 

And  _ fuck _ . It sounds just as good now as it did when Dave first uttered those words, secluded in a shitty hotel room, excited and nervous and happy all the same. 

Klaus smiles, wishing now, more than ever, that Dave was corporeal again so he could kiss him. Instead, he he settles on a warm, heartfelt response. “I love you, too.”

* * *

 

Quickly, and without hesitation, Dave becomes part of Klaus’ training. When Five isn’t working with Vanya or the rest of their siblings, he sits with Klaus, either in the den, the kitchen or even his bedroom (after he has convinced Klaus to  _ clean it up already _ ) and assists with his meditation and focus and most importantly, honing in his abilities. 

There aren’t many notes in their father’s journal about Klaus’ powers, mostly because Klaus had resisted just about any form of training not long after getting involved in drugs and alcohol, so for the most part, they’re working blind, but Five is good at improvising. But, when he tells Klaus that he believes that his full powers  _ might _ involve telekinesis, Klaus straight up laughs in his face, then backtracks when he realizes that Five is being serious. 

_“Wait,”_ Klaus sputters, “You mean that? What gives you that idea?” 

He glances around the room, and even Ben seems surprised at Five’s apparent discovery. 

With a shrug, Five just simply explains, “You were able to control Ben and his powers, back in the theatre. Who’s to say that you can’t do that to living or inanimate objects, too?” 

Klaus whistles. “Wow, Five. That’s a bit of a bold assumption, even for you.”

“Is it?” Five argues, “You’ve been dulling your powers since  _ what _ , thirteen? You don’t know what you’re capable of, Klaus. For all you know, dad is right. You really have only scratched the surface. I find it hard to believe that this is  _ it _ , after just a few months of sobriety and a little bit of training.” 

Before, the idea of  _ training _ , of trying to access his powers and whatever the fuck they bring with them would have terrified Klaus. He would have dismissed the idea, then drowned his shame in drugs or liquor. But that was before. 

“And you think we can figure this out. By ourselves,” Klaus mutters. It isn’t a question. He knows that Five is serious. 

In return, Five shrugs. “Worth a shot, isn’t it? And besides, we’re not alone.”

Klaus glances over his shoulder, to where Dave and Ben sit comfortably in the other room. They had been talking amongst each other, but now, they’re giving Klaus and Five’s conversation their full attention. 

Klaus knows that Five can’t see them right now, but the implication is there. 

“Guys?” Klaus calls. It’s an indirect question, but the implication is there.

And he’s unsurprised when Ben and Dave reply in unison, “We’re in.” 

So over the next few days, Dave quickly becomes part of Klaus’ training and Klaus would be lying if he said he didn’t want him there. Although it’s still difficult for him to keep Ben or Dave tangible for more than a few hours, Klaus can feel himself getting stronger with each day. 

And, a little over a week after he’s first reunited with Dave, he manages to bring both him  _ and _ Ben back into the physical world -  _ at the same time. _ It only lasts for a couple of minutes before they both vanish to anyone’s eyes but Klaus’ (whose fists are glowing blue by the end of it) but it’s progress. A  _ lot _ of progress. And  _ fuck _ , it’s the first time he has actually been  _ excited _ about his powers since he was just a little kid.  

Later that night, long after everyone has either gone to bed or retired to  _ whatever _ they’re doing for the rest of the night, after Klaus has finished his training for the day with Five (and after he finishes recounting it to his surprised siblings), he retreats to his bedroom with Dave in tow. Exhausted but exhilarated, Klaus talks softly to Dave as they pass Luther’s bedroom, then Diego’s and finally Allison’s before stepping into his own - just like when they were children. (Some things never change, huh?) 

Ben is conveniently nowhere to be found, for which Klaus is silently grateful, because once they’re behind closed doors, he has something in mind that he’d rather his brother  _ isn’t _ there for. He and Dave haven’t had much time to just  _ be _ since he finally conjured him, and while Klaus is grateful that his siblings have accepted him as much as they have, some alone time is nice, even if it  _ is _ late and he could use a good night’s sleep. 

“I wanna try something,” Klaus announces as soon as his bedroom door clicks shut behind him. He’s been buzzing with excitement since his training session with Five, Ben and Dave that afternoon, and the energy hasn’t quite worn off yet. It’s like a high, and Klaus has no plans on coming down anytime soon. 

Dave, already sitting on the edge of his bed, cocks his head, offering Klaus a smile. “What’s that?”

But Klaus, instead of answering, simply shrugs off his jacket, letting it fall to a heap on the floor before crossing the room to sit next to Dave on the bed. Dave is silent as Klaus situates himself, crossing his legs in the same way that he does during training, arms relaxed, palms open and facing up. He takes a deep breath, closing his eyes for a moment in concentration, and focuses on Dave. Clearing his mind, Klaus focuses on Dave’s hands, his calloused fingers, sturdy grip and soft touch. He focuses on Dave’s lips… his kiss. He focuses on a dingy motel room back in Vietnam and the way that Dave had held him close before their first time together, the way that he kissed him after, basking in the afterglow. 

Klaus knows, when he cracks his eyes open again, that Dave is corporeal, judging by the slight dip in his mattress under his weight, and he offers him a small, sly smile in response. Rather than answering the question that Dave asked just a few moments ago, Klaus simply reaches out, fisting the collar of Dave’s shirt in his hand, and pulls him forward for an unexpected kiss. 

Dave, caught off guard, nearly topples over at the force of Klaus’ touch and the way he tugs him forward, but he catches himself with his hands on Klaus’ knees and thankfully, is quick to return the kiss once he regains composure. And the innocent pecks or fleeting yet passionate kisses that they’ve shared since Dave has returned are  _ nothing _ compared to this. Months of pent-up longing and frustration and love and heartache come to a head as Klaus kisses Dave, wasting no time parting his lips to deepen the kiss. Dave is quick to respond, too. As soon as he gets his bearings, one hand leaves Klaus’ knee in favor of gripping him gently at the back of the neck, anchoring him in place. 

When they finally part, Klaus revels in the feeling of breathlessness that he feels, a grin finding its way onto his face. 

“Not that I mind,” Dave starts, careful, “But do you care to tell me what that was all about?”

Klaus lets out a breathy chuckle. “I was thinking of another exercise, if you’re up for it.”

Dave raises his eyebrows in response. There’s a hopeful hint to his eyes, but he doesn’t run with it, not quite yet. “Are you sure?” he asks instead, “You’ve already done so much today, I don’t want you to exhaust yourself…”

_ “Dave,” _ Klaus murmurs in response, voice rough, “I want you to fuck me.” 

_ “Oh.” _

Dave’s response comes out in a rush of air, as if someone just punched him in the gut, and judging by the surprised look on his face, Klaus quickly backtracks. “I mean, if you want to. I know we haven’t really done much since you, well  _ you know _ and - I guess I don’t want you to - If you don’t -”

_ “Klaus,” _ Dave interrupts with a steadying hand on his arm, “Stop talking.”

Klaus swallows. “Alright.”

_ “Of course _ I want that,” Dave insists, a smile tugging on his lips, “But are you sure that you -  _ you know _ \- can keep me -”

“Tangible?” Klaus asks, “Well, that’s kind of why I wanted to try this. Among  _ other _ reasons, of course. If my powers are tied to emotions, it shouldn’t be a problem, right?”

“Theoretically, yeah,” Dave answers carefully. Then, once more, just to be sure, he asks, “Are you sure?”

_ “Fuck,” _ Klaus sighs, exasperated, “I’ve never been more sure of anything. Now stop trying to talk me out of having sex with you and get over here.”

Dave chuckles in response, but does as he’s told, pulling Klaus forward for another kiss. This one, unlike the last, is sticky sweet and nothing more than a soft, gentle press of lips, Dave’s sturdy hand holding him in place. When they part again, neither man pulls away entirely, and Klaus can feel Dave’s breath on his lips when he murmurs, “If it’s too much, just let me know. I don’t want you to push yourself too hard.” 

“Yeah, yeah,” Klaus mutters with a playful eye roll, “Now come on, you gentleman.  _ Fuck me.” _

And  _ that’s _ enough to get Dave moving again, pressing their lips together once more. This time, Klaus grins into the kiss, victorious as he wraps his arms around Dave’s shoulders and pulls his body on top of him. Although they didn’t have the time to explore it back then, Klaus knows that just a few perfectly timed words were enough to get Dave going and is glad that not much has changed since then, even in the afterlife. Before long, he’s scooting up his bed, until his head is cradled on pillows and Dave is situated between his legs, kissing him nice and slow, passionately but full of heat. 

As they kiss, Klaus can’t help the way his mind wanders to their first kiss, a tentative press of lips in the back of a bar, then later, stolen pecks and hushed words in tents or the forest when nobody was looking. He remembers the way that Dave would look absolutely  _ scandalized _ whenever Klaus would whisper something filthy in his ear when anyone else was nearby, but how he’d beg to hear it again later, when they were alone. Mostly, Klaus’ mind wanders to the way that Dave’s lips would linger, whenever a kiss would end, as if he didn’t want to pull away quite yet. When they were alone, Dave would pull him close, a hand on the small of his back, and look at him like he was the only person in the world, the only person who mattered, and murmur -

“Hey,  _ hey, Klaus,” _ Dave’s voice brings him back down to earth, ripping Klaus out of his thoughts, and when Klaus opens his eyes, it’s to find that Dave is flickering, almost like a projection. His hand - the one that has their fingers laced together - almost doesn’t feel solid anymore, like a wet paper towel, as if it’ll rip if Klaus puts too much pressure on it. 

“Hey, stay with me,” Dave continues, pulling back slightly, “Come on, Klaus, focus, you can do this.” 

Klaus hums, closing his eyes, focusing on the reassuring tone of Dave’s voice. He slipped, it won’t happen again. 

“Or you can always just talk dirty to me while I get off,” he teases, eyes closed. 

_ “Klaus…” _

Klaus opens his eyes, shooting Dave an apologetic smile. “Right, _ right,” _ he murmurs, “I’m here, I’ll focus.”

“If it’s too much…”

“Don’t start that shit again,” Klaus teases, “I just got distracted is all. Come on…”

Thankfully, it doesn’t take long before Dave is solid -  _ really _ solid - once more and back in Klaus’ arms, shaking his head, a fond smile on his lips. “You’re insufferable,” he mutters, even as he presses a few soft, feather light kisses to Klaus’ cheek, his jaw, his lips. 

“And you love it,” Klaus teases back, arms coming to intertwine around Dave’s shoulders again. 

“I do,” Dave breathes in response, and then they’re kissing again. 

_ This time _ , Klaus is fully aware as he and Dave kiss, focusing on the press of his soft lips, the weight of his body on his own, the hardness of -

_ Oh. _ Right. 

“Come on,” Klaus mutters as he pushes Dave’s jacket off, then begins pulling at his gray t-shirt. “This needs to come off.” And he watches, breathless, as Dave sits up to pull the shirt up and over his head before settling between his legs once more, shirtless. 

Shortly after Klaus pulls off his own tight fitting deep v-neck, Dave gazes down at him, lips parted, eyes glazed over. He reaches out, hands flat on Klaus’ hips, his stomach, sliding up his chest, and Klaus focuses on the wake of goosebumps they leave. “You’re stunning,” he praises as Klaus arches up into his touch. 

Klaus savors the press of Dave’s hands, the gentle teasing of his fingers, the fire that lights beneath his skin as palms drag over sensitive nipples. He feels like he’s going to fall apart, and Dave has barely even started touching him. Everything is so elevated now, as Klaus focuses on the feeling of Dave on him, the emotion behind this moment. 

Then, another idea hits him. 

_ “Actually,” _ Klaus sighs, his eyes falling closed as Dave’s hands travel back down his torso. “Maybe you  _ should _ talk to me… It’ll keep me grounded, ya’know?”

“Yeah?” Dave asks, and  _ fuck _ his voice is rough. It’s good to know that he’s wrecked, too, and he’s not even the one being touched right now. “Would you like that?” 

Klaus opens his eyes again, gazing up at Dave when he mutters, “Yeah, I  _ really _ would.” 

So Dave  _ talks _ . At first, it’s just these tentative, sweet little compliments that heat Klaus’ cheeks. “I still can’t believe that I get to see you like this,” he admits, voice reverent, as he presses a kiss to Klaus’ neck a few moments later, “I don’t know how I got so lucky.”

And  _ fuck _ , Klaus wants to argue that he’s not all that lucky, that there are much better people he could be saddled up with than a recovering addict who can talk to ghosts and couldn’t even save the fucking world, but he swallows the words down, deciding, for once, that he deserves these compliment. Dave wouldn’t be here if it weren’t true. 

And when Klaus finally shimmies out of skin-tight ripped jeans and neon underwear, stripped bare both physically and emotionally, Dave breaths, “God, you’re so beautiful like this.” 

Once they’re both naked, the words stop just for a few minutes as they kiss, Klaus clinging onto Dave as if he’ll disappear at any moment again. Between them, there’s a zing of pleasure as their cocks brush together, but Klaus forgoes  _ touching _ for right now, in favor of holding Dave close. And  _ damn _ , if his past self could see his self-control  _ now _ . 

When Dave finally does touch him, fingers wrapping around his length, thumb brushing the head, Klaus can’t help but let out a stuttering moan, which Dave is quick to silence with a kiss. 

“We have to be quiet,” he whispers, like they’re teenagers, sneaking around parents. And  _ man _ , if that isn’t a kink that Klaus would like to explore. He makes a mental note to ask Dave to gag him sometime. 

“Diego is out,” Klaus breathes. “Allison and Vanya are downstairs watching movies… Luther sleeps like a rock and Five can eat a dick. We don’t have to worry about them.” 

Dave laughs at Klaus’ response, and  _ thankfully _ , takes him seriously. 

“If that’s the case…” he murmurs, “You sound  _ amazing _ . Come on - don’t hold back.”

And -

_ “Fuck,” _ Klaus bites, throwing his head back as Dave pumps him, just a few times, “Oh  _ shit.” _

“God, Klaus you’re so hard already -”

“Yeah well -” Klaus cuts himself off, bucking up into Dave’s touch, “It’s been a while and with you talking to me like that…”

“Good?” Dave asks for reassurance and Klaus nearly laughs in response. 

“Yeah,” he mutters,  _ “Fuck, _ yeah it’s good. Keep going.”

And  _ fuck _ , Klaus had so many ideas for tonight. He wanted to sink to his knees in front of Dave and suck him off until he came down his throat, wanted to sit in his lap and ride him, whispering filthy nonsense into his ear until he couldn’t take it anymore, but now, with Dave pressing him down into the mattress, kissing his neck and stroking him, too slow but too much at the same time, he wants nothing more than to feel Dave’s weight on top of him. He wants to hold Dave close, wrap his legs around his waist, and memorize every look on his face, every press of his body as they make love.

Klaus has never really been the sentimental type, especially when it comes to sex, but apparently, Dave brings that out in him. He shouldn’t be surprised. 

“Fuck,  _ Dave,” _ Klaus sighs at last, opening his eyes to gaze up at the man above him, “Come on, please… I need you.”

And that’s enough to get Dave moving. 

“Lube,” Klaus has the mind to mutter, “Top drawer, to your right.”

Then, before long, Dave is pressing two long, slicked fingers into him while Klaus grips onto strong shoulders, an arm,  _ anything _ that he can get his hands onto. They’ve come a long way since their first time, Klaus muses in between spikes of pleasure and gasps, if the way that Dave twists his wrist and crooks his fingers says anything about it. The thought has Klaus’ mind drifting to another stolen night in a hotel room, about eight months into his time in Vietnam, when Dave had asked him to show him what he likes. They’d been in bed for  _ hours _ that night, Klaus directing Dave whenever something felt good because he didn’t have the heart to tell him that he wasn’t  _ sure _ what he liked, that nobody had really asked him before. He remembers gasping out a stuttering,  _ “Oh, fuck, right - right there, oh my god, Dave,” _ and remembers the way that Dave had kissed him as he came riding his fingers, swallowing up his moans. Klaus lost count of how many times they  _ both  _ came that night, but remembers how desperate he felt when he settled in between Dave’s spread legs and muttered out a soft,  _ “Let me take care of you.” _

But Klaus is quick to shake those thoughts from his head, because he wants to live in the now, and right  _ now _ , he’s rocking back into Dave’s touch, all too close to coming before the other man is even inside of him. 

“Fuck, fuck, Dave -” he mutters, voice  _ wrecked _ , “Shit, I’m gonna come if you don’t stop - I -”

Thankfully, Dave listens to him, leaving Klaus chasing a halted orgasm, rocking up into nothing when he withdraws his fingers. And  _ shit _ , that’s something else they’re going to have to try. Klaus has never really been into edging, but  _ fuck _ , he’d be into anything if it was with Dave.

“Hey, you with me?” Dave asks, voice soft, shaking Klaus out of his thoughts. 

Klaus’ eyes come back in focus to find Dave hovering over him, and  _ fuck _ , he looks good. There’s a sheen of sweat on his brow and he looks… well, Klaus didn’t know that ghosts were capable of looking so disheveled. 

“Yeah, I’m here,” he murmurs, hands sliding up Dave’s body, “Just uh… thinking about everything I want to do to you.”

And is that  _ blush _ he sees on Dave’s cheeks?

Dave shakes his head, smiling and leans down to press a kiss to Klaus’ lips. “Ready?”

“I was born ready, baby,” Klaus murmurs in return, earning a soft chuckle from the man above him. 

Then, just a few moments later, Dave is pressing inside of him, and Klaus is seeing  _ stars _ . 

It’s slow at first, as Dave rocks into him, but eventually, Klaus begins arching his hips up and off the bed to meet him halfway, his own cock hanging heavy and desperate between them. And  _ fuck _ he doesn’t even want to touch himself yet, because he’d be content to just ride this out for as long as possible. 

“You feel so good,  _ Klaus,” _ Dave groans into his neck, dipping down to kiss his shoulder. 

_ “Fuck,” _ Klaus sighs in response, “Fuck, I love you -  _ I love you _ .”

And Klaus has never really been one to talk during sex, let alone spout declarations of love, but well…

_ Oh, _ you know. 

When Klaus does come a few minutes later, it’s with his back arched and Dave’s name -  _ Dave,  _ because he’s here, he’s really here - on his lips.  _ And  _ when Dave follows just moments later, it’s with his face buried in Klaus’ neck, sighing  _ his _ . 

Dave doesn’t disappear afterward, either. Instead, they lie there on Klaus’ childhood bed, limbs intertwined, basking in bliss - their own little perfect moment in a completely  _ fucked up _ universe - for what seems like an eternity. It’s only later, as Dave’s fingers trace swirling patterns across Klaus’ skin, the fingers of his other hand linked with Klaus’ that the silence breaks.

Naturally, it’s Klaus who breaks it, a light laugh finding its way out of his mouth. 

“Hmm?” Dave asks wordlessly, fingers stilling their movement.  

“Just wondering what my teenage self what think of all of this…” Klaus muses in response. 

Dave is quiet for a moment, considering Klaus’ words before he asks, “Well… what would he think?”

Klaus turns to look at Dave, a lazy grin spreading across his face. “Well, my little queer, goth-as-fuck self would have been stoked to know that I just fucked a ghost,” he teases. 

Dave snorts. “And what about now?”

“Now?” Klaus echoes, to which Dave simply hums.

“Now, I’m just glad that it’s you.” 

It’s sappy and cheesy and  _ fuck _ , Klaus has never been like this, but Dave is  _ different. _ And, lying here in bed, Dave wrapped around him, still solid and warm, Klaus realizes that there are two halves to his insane, fucked up story: life before Dave, and life after. 

It’s safe to say that life after is much better. 

Klaus isn’t sure when he drifts into unconsciousness, but when he finally wakes hours later, its to morning light filtering in through his blackout curtains, the warm, heavy weight of a blanket on top of him and -

_ And a body pressed against his own, an arm around his waist. _

For a moment, Klaus reasons that he must be dreaming. This is simply a remnant of a memory from Vietnam, from one of those sacred nights that he spent with Dave, holed up in a cheap hotel, blocking out the rest of the world, but  _ then _ , the form pressed against his own stirs, and he  _ knows _ that this is real. Dave is  _ here _ , and somehow, he’s still solid, a heavy arm thrown around Klaus’ middle, holding him securely in place, and at the realization, Klaus’ heart feels like it’s going to burst from his chest. 

In moments like this, it’s bittersweet, because he  _ knows _ that he won’t always be able to have Dave here like this, holding him, making him feel safe. There will likely be more times than not that he won’t even be able to touch Dave at all, but at the same time, it’s moments like this that make it all worth it.

And, for the first time in his life, Klaus feels like his powers are more of a gift, rather than a curse. 

  
  


**Author's Note:**

> Hoooooooo boy! I hope you guys liked this sweet lil' epilogue. I had a ton of other little ideas for this that I didn't quite run with, so maybe someday I'll add a few more little standalone fics to this universe, but for right now, this will be their little happy ending. Thank you ALL so much for reading!


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